Field
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting and sharing hazard data by a vehicle and, more particularly, for detecting and sharing hazard data with other vehicles and/or authorities.
Description of the Related Art
Processors are being designed to be smaller, faster, more efficient and less expensive than ever. Due to the increased capabilities and reduced costs, vehicle manufacturers have been including more processors, and processor based functions in vehicles. For example, these processors (or electronic control units (ECUs)) now control many vehicle functions such as engine timing, transmission shifts and the like.
Vehicle manufacturers have begun to incorporate more types of sensors into vehicles. Data detected by the sensors can be used for multiple features by providing the data to ECUs. For example, some vehicle manufacturers now position a camera or sonar sensors on the rear of a vehicle. The data detected by the camera or sonar sensors is provided to an ECU and used to aid in reverse driving or maneuvers of the vehicle.
Sometimes data from these sensors is used to provide feedback for driving. For example, autonomous vehicles include various types of sensors positioned around the vehicle. The sensors detect data corresponding to the environment of the vehicle and provide a significant amount of data to one or more ECUs.
The information provided by these sensors is typically sufficient. However, it is sometimes desirable for an ECU to receive information corresponding to a location that is out of the operable range of the sensors. For example, it may be desirable for the ECU of a first vehicle to know if another vehicle will impermissibly enter an intersection that is out of range of the sensors of the first vehicle. Currently, this information can only be obtained once the intersection is within the range of the sensors of the first vehicle.
Thus, there is a need for systems and methods for detecting hazards and transmitting data corresponding to the hazard to other vehicles.